Pilot blundered into prohibited airspace.

Attributes
ACN	539920
Time
Date	200203
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	special use airspace : p40.prohibited
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 122.9 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 7683.7
ASRS Report	539920
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited penetrated airspace none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I plted an aircraft whose first leg included a heading that passed directly over prohibited area P40. Upon approaching P40 from the northeast aircraft diverted to the west to avoid P40. While negotiating the north side of P40 and seeing weather conditions appear to deteriorate to the west, I decided to resume navigation back to the original course. Upon making a left turn back to the south, communications were received from ZZZ tower (tower frequency was being monitored but had not yet been established)informing me that I had entered P40 and to make a turn to the west. After complying, I told them that I thought I had been clear of P40 to the west. Tower advised to continue with flight and make contact at first stop. There was never any intention to trespass into P40. WX conditions in the distance appeared to deteriorate with assorted snow squalls, the GPS never acknowledged P40. Pilot was unfamiliar with area and there was some difficulty in defining the tfr.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT BLUNDERED INTO PROHIBITED AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I PLTED AN ACFT WHOSE FIRST LEG INCLUDED A HEADING THAT PASSED DIRECTLY OVER PROHIBITED AREA P40. UPON APCHING P40 FROM THE NE ACFT DIVERTED TO THE W TO AVOID P40. WHILE NEGOTIATING THE N SIDE OF P40 AND SEEING WEATHER CONDITIONS APPEAR TO DETERIORATE TO THE W, I DECIDED TO RESUME NAVIGATION BACK TO THE ORIGINAL COURSE. UPON MAKING A L TURN BACK TO THE S, COMMUNICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM ZZZ TWR (TWR FREQUENCY WAS BEING MONITORED BUT HAD NOT YET BEEN ESTABLISHED)INFORMING ME THAT I HAD ENTERED P40 AND TO MAKE A TURN TO THE W. AFTER COMPLYING, I TOLD THEM THAT I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN CLR OF P40 TO THE W. TWR ADVISED TO CONTINUE WITH FLT AND MAKE CONTACT AT FIRST STOP. THERE WAS NEVER ANY INTENTION TO TRESPASS INTO P40. WX CONDITIONS IN THE DISTANCE APPEARED TO DETERIORATE WITH ASSORTED SNOW SQUALLS, THE GPS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED P40. PLT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH AREA AND THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULTY IN DEFINING THE TFR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.